Bioactive surface coatings for enhancing osseointegration of dental implants

Dental implants are commonly used to replace lost natural teeth. The clinical success of an implant depends on multiple factors including the biomaterials, case selection, quality of bone, implant-bone interface, and postoperative care by the patient. The implant material-bone interface and osseointegration is vital for the long-term clinical success of dental implants. In order to enhance the surface properties and osseointegration, a variety of surface treatments have been used. For instance, the surface modification using bioactive coatings leads to superior osseointegration. In addition, bioactive coatings present no toxicity, inflammation, or foreign body response and bond well with the living bone tissues. Currently, there is a wide range of bioactive materials and coating techniques for modifying dental implant surfaces. This chapter describes various techniques and bioactive materials used for coating dental implants. In addition, key features and benefits of such coatings have been discussed.